Loki episode 5 review: A pulpy outing filled with heart-warming moments

The episode picks up pace from the previous two instalments and is a rather pulpy, entertaining attempt, flinging references from several comic-book versions of Loki. Hiddleston and Di Martino carry this episode, with the latter providing the spunk to the rather pliant version of Loki that the audience has become accustomed to in this series,

Loki Season 2

Story: The fourth episode of Marvel web series Loki, which is streaming on Disney+ Hotstar, left the audience at a cliff hanger with Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino) trapped in TVA with Renslayer, while Mobius (Owen Wilson) and Loki (Tom Hiddleston) were pruned to the end of time. The penultimate episode of the series focuses on how Loki gets out of this predicament, with a bit of help from other variants.

Review: Right at the outset of the fifth episode, the audience learns that those pruned are sent to a world where an all-devouring monster, Alioth, ends their realities for good. Loki is introduced to this world by four other variants of himself, each having an interesting life story with the young Boy Loki being the greatest for he is the only one who managed to kill Thor.

The discussion between the multiple Lokis about their past, future and purpose is the heart of this episode. The makers with each instalment have been trying to peel off layers of the God of Mischief, but this particular interaction also serves the what-could-have-beens – if Loki had killed Thor, if Loki got hold of the Infinity Gauntlet or if Loki had cheated Thanos in Avengers: Endgame. There’s also a big realisation of how each of them has been outcasts throughout their entire lives, irrespective of the paths they have chosen.

Parallel to this, Sylvie and Renslayer try to mine information of who is controlling the TVA, now that the timekeepers have been destroyed. One thing leads to another and it becomes evident that the mastermind has been employing the same trick that Sylvie has been doing all long, hiding behind nexus-level events; in this case, the end of time.

The episode picks up pace from the previous two instalments and is a rather pulpy, entertaining attempt, flinging references from several comic-book versions of Loki. Hiddleston and Di Martino carry this episode, with the latter providing the spunk to the rather pliant version of Loki that the audience has become accustomed to in this series. Their scenes together, where they just fall short of confessing their feelings for each other, is gingerly handled and is a highlight; it assumes more importance when both Loki and Sylvie talk about how they have been lonely and recall their past betrayals.

The final ‘enchantment’ scene of Alioth is again a reminder of why this series fares better than the previous two Marvel shows, WandaVision and The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, as it is epic in scope and fit for a movie. The penultimate episode of Loki has got its heart in its right place and also gives its meandering characters the glorious purpose for a final showdown.

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